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Topic: Meeting and Vesting of Bishop - what is the choir singing? (Read 6236 times)

Does anyone know what the words are to the hymns that are sung (and the prayers chanted) at the meeting and vesting of the bishop prior to the beginning of a hierarchical Divine Liturgy? I always think these are so beautiful, but since I have only heard them in Slavonic, I have no idea what is being said. I know there is a lengthy song that the choir sings that sounds like the same melody as "Noble Joseph". Does anyone have a text of the DL that includes this material?

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1 Samuel 25:22 (KJV)So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

The last time I saw this happen was when the Ecumenical Patriarch attended the GOA's Clergy-Laity Congress in Los Angeles, but I'd seen other examples before then.

The bishop is met at the doors of the temple, and, while he is in the narthex, part of the Litany of Fervent Supplication (up tthrough the petition for the hierarch) is sung. The bishop is then escorted to the throne while his escort chants Is polla eti, Despota in a slow and very flowery tone. This takes place at some point before the singing of the Canon of Orthros, which the bishop leads.

The vesting takes place during the Eni (Lauds), various members of his retinue chant the Vesting Prayers while the Cantors and Choir are singing the Lauds, which may be prolongued so as to end when the vesting is complete. Then follow the Doxastikon of the Eothinon, the accompanying Theotokion, and lastly, the Great Doxology.

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The end of the world is as near as the day of your death;watch and pray.

Does anyone know what the words are to the hymns that are sung (and the prayers chanted) at the meeting and vesting of the bishop prior to the beginning of a hierarchical Divine Liturgy? I always think these are so beautiful, but since I have only heard them in Slavonic, I have no idea what is being said. I know there is a lengthy song that the choir sings that sounds like the same melody as "Noble Joseph". Does anyone have a text of the DL that includes this material?

Question a friend, perhaps he did not do it; but if he did anything so that he may do it no more.A hasty quarrel kindles fire,and urgent strife sheds blood.If you blow on a spark, it will glow;if you spit on it, it will be put out; and both come out of your mouth

Does anyone know what the words are to the hymns that are sung (and the prayers chanted) at the meeting and vesting of the bishop prior to the beginning of a hierarchical Divine Liturgy? I always think these are so beautiful, but since I have only heard them in Slavonic, I have no idea what is being said. I know there is a lengthy song that the choir sings that sounds like the same melody as "Noble Joseph". Does anyone have a text of the DL that includes this material?

As the bishop is greeted at the door and clothed in the mantle by the subdeacons, the choir sings:

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From the rising to the setting of the sun, the name of the Lord is to be praised. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.

The bishop blesses the censers, venerates the Cross which is brought to him by the vested priest, then proffers it for veneration by the higher clergy. He is then escorted to the solea where the deacon says the preparation prayers on his behalf, during which the choir sings the zadostoinik, which is usually It is truly meet to bless thee... but if a festal or seasonal zadostoinik is appointed to be sung at the Anaphora instead of It is truly meet..., it is sung at this point as well. When this has finished, the bishop turns to the people, and blesses them, while the choir sings the Ton Dhespotin.

The bishop is escorted back to the bema in the middle of the nave (or enters the altar if he chooses to vest simply), where he is relieved of the mantle and vested by the subdeacons. During the vesting, the choir sings:

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Thy soul shall rejoice in the Lord, for he hath clothed thee with the garment of salvation, and with the robe of gladness hath he encompassed thee. As a bridegroom he hath set a crown upon thee, and as a bride hath he adorned thee with ornament.

(This is also the first of the vesting prayers which are read by the deacon while the bishop is being vested.)

Also, in some places/at certain times:

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The prophets proclaimed thee from on high, O Virgin: the Jar, the Staff, the Tablets of the Law, the Ark, the Candlestick, the Table, the Mount Uncloven (Daniel 2:49), the Golden Censer and the Tabernacle, the Gate Impassable (Ezekiel 44:1-3), the Palace (1 Chronicles 29:1) and Ladder, and the Throne of Kings.

When the bishop is fully vested, the subdeacons collect the trikiri and dikiri from the deacons (who, throughout the vesting, have been holding them on the solea while censing the bishop), and present them to the bishop. He blesses the people while the choir again sings the Ton Dhespotin. Then the reader begins the Hours as usual.

I hope this helps.

M

« Last Edit: July 19, 2010, 03:01:06 PM by Subdeacon Michael »

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'If Christ is not fully human, humankind is not fully saved.' - St John (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis

You're very welcome. I'm glad to be of help. I've come to rather love the intricacies of the hierarchical Liturgy so if there's anything else I can helo with, I'll do my best. some of those hymns really are quite lovely.

M

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'If Christ is not fully human, humankind is not fully saved.' - St John (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis

It is also common Russian practice for the choir to sing the magnificat/megalynarion to the Mother of God, Dostoyno Yest (It is truly meet) during the vesting. The most common arrangement used, and, arguably one of the most beautiful, is that of L'vov.

The prophets proclaimed thee from on high, O Virgin: the Jar, the Staff, the Tablets of the Law, the Ark, the Candlestick, the Table, the Mount Uncloven (Daniel 2:49), the Golden Censer and the Tabernacle, the Gate Impassable (Ezekiel 44:1-3), the Palace (1 Chronicles 29:1) and Ladder, and the Throne of Kings.

This is what my Byzantine Music books calls for if the Hierarch is vested on the solea/publicly.

It is also common Russian practice for the choir to sing the magnificat/megalynarion to the Mother of God, Dostoyno Yest (It is truly meet) during the vesting. The most common arrangement used, and, arguably one of the most beautiful, is that of L'vov.

My inclination is to defer to your knowledge here because I am usually too busy at this point to really notice what the choir is singing at exactly what times, (I have to pay close attention to recognise hymns if it is not in English), but do you mean that the zadostoinik is sung during the vesting as well as at the preparation prayers?

M

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'If Christ is not fully human, humankind is not fully saved.' - St John (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis

They do It is Truly Meet or its substitute, then "May thy soul rejoice in the Lord" and/or "The Prophets proclaimed thee from on high, O Virgin". If it is a Presanctified Liturgy, they might do "Onto Mount Sion" instead. When the Bishop first blesses the people, the choir sings "Ton Despotin" and again after the vesting is done.By the way, why is Ton Despotin sung at a bishop's funeral when the dead bishop is vested?